Major changes are found in the 2021 Evaluation and Management guidelines. As we enter the final quarter of 2020, I hope everyone is committed to being prepared for the 2021 evaluation and management (E&M) changes, because they’re locked in, and the focus going forward should be on education for coders, auditors, and providers. Many […]
In today’s competitive environment, creating the ultimate “patient experience” will truly differentiate your surgery center and is paramount to building a successful and growing ASC. To create this experience, a patient should be treated with care, respect and competence in each and every interaction with your staff, your processes, your technology and your surgeons. This […]
ACOs and hospital-based providers will be most impacted by upcoming changes to quality scoring under full MACRA implementation, but with some work, they also have a lot to gain. With the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), CMS did away with the Sustainable Growth Rate model. Now, they are able to reward […]
As we near the fourth quarter of 2020, HBI has begun to receive an influx of questions from revenue cycle leaders who want to know what others are doing to comply with the CMS price transparency rule going into effect January 1, 2021. There are two overarching requirements hospitals will need to comply with: Publicizing […]
Even though virtual healthcare has been possible for over a decade, the technology officially became an integral part of the care process as a direct result of COVID-19. Telemedicine can offer on-demand medical attention to patients anytime and anywhere, but it’s essential for virtual care to be easily accessible to anyone who needs it. True […]
The Trump administration has finalized a rule aimed at boosting access to home dialysis and translation for patients with end-stage renal disease. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services estimates that the End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices Model will save Medicare $23 million over the next five years. The value-based model is designed to incentivize providers to […]
Telehealth reimbursement expansions granted during the PHE may be limited to providers in Advanced APMs moving forward to prevent program integrity issues, MedPAC said at a recent meeting. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is the latest group to weigh telehealth reimbursement expansions after the COVID-19 pandemic. In a meeting held virtually last week, MedPAC analysts Ariel […]
Erratic claim volumes and confusion over COVID-19 coding and claim requirements are the top issues impacting revenue cycle operations, according to a new survey of financial leaders at US hospitals and health systems. Conducted through the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s (HFMA) Pulse Survey program, the survey commissioned by Alpha Health asked 587 chief financial officers and revenue cycle leaders […]
Providers need a mechanism to be accurately reimbursed for the time and effort that they expend in providing care. Evaluation and Management (E/M) leveling has been the standard method in which to provide appropriate, defensible payments for services. However, it has been successfully argued that the 1995 and 1997 E/M guidelines in place today are […]
CMS will leverage existing evaluation and management (E&M) payment codes to reimburse eligible providers for the coronavirus counseling services. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will make payment available to physicians and providers for counseling patients at the time of COVID-19 testing about the importance of self-isolation after they are tested and prior to […]